Method of assembling venetian blinds



Nov. 25, 1941. s. HAMMER METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS 9 Sheets-Shee:l l

Original Filed April l5, 1936 n Q n, x if z, dr.- IIIIWJIBWMIAILIIIIIQIILIIIIILII .1MM l l I I l I l I l l l 1 l 1| lr SAMUEL HAMMER Gttomegs NOV. 2 5, sv HAMMER METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Original Filed April l5, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zmnentor .SAMUEL HAMMER (Ittornegs Nov. 25, 1941. s. HAMMER 2,264,161

n METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Original Filed April l5, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 m nventor SAMUEL HAMMER ttomegs Nov. '25, 1941. s. HAMMER 2,264,161

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Original Filed April 15, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Snnentor SAMUE L HAMMER BY M /44 /64 z2 /34 i441 Gttornegs Nov.l 25, 1941. Q HAMMER 2,264,161

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Qriginal Filed April 15, 1956 9 Sheets-Shee'fl 5 :inventor SAMUEL HAMMER BY .l

Gtfornegs Nov. 2 5, 1941. s. HAMMER METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN" BLINDS original Filed'Apru 15', 1956 -9 Sheets-Sheet 6 fi FSF FUE Zhwentor SAMUEL HAMMER Gttomegs NOV. 25, 1941. s HAMMER 2,264,161

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Original Filed April l5, 1936 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Snnenfor SAMUEL HAMMER Gttornegs Nov. 25, 1941. s. HAMMER 2,264,161

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIAN BLINDS Original Filed April 15, 1956 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 SAMUEL HAMMER BY@ www Nov. 25, 1941. s. HAM/1ER 2,264,161

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING VENETIANrBLINDS Original Filed April 15, `19I55 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 mventor SAMUEL HAMMER Patented Nov. 25, 1941 METHOD F ASSEMBLDWG VENETIAN BLINDS Samuel Hammer, Brooklyn, N." Y., assigner to United Metal Box Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application April 15, 1936, Serial No. 74,601. Divided and this application November 3, 1938, Serial No. 238,525

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of pleating or gathering into an accordion-like pleat and gripping in a magazine Venetian blind tapes in which slat engaging elements have been previously inserted for the purpose of subsequently fastening or assembling said tapes at spaced intervals to a plurality of slats, and is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 74,601 iiled April 15, 1936, now Patent No. 2,211,620, dated August 13, 1940.

An important object of my invention is to provide a novel method of constructing and assembling Venetian blinds of a type which can be manufactured in large quantities and sold at a3 cost below those oiiered on the market at the present time, and to facilitate the construction and assembly of such blinds.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved methods for Vuse in the construction of Venetian blinds of what may be described as r single supporting tapes, as distinguished from double or so-called ladder tapes, heretofore used in the manufacture of such blinds, and while there are many ways of fastening such tapes to the slats I prefer to use means for securely fastening the tapes to the edge faces of the slats by clips or other slat engaging elements which may easily be removed as occasion requires.

Other objects and advantages of my invention alignment and held at closely spaced intervals,

with respect to one another so that all of said clips may be grasped simultaneously in a tape magazine. l

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line A3-3 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows, including an elevational view of a tape magazine disposed in position to receive a gathered tape.

Figures 4V and 5 are sectional views taken on lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Figure 3 and l looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is an enlarged right-hand end view of the upper or table portion of the machine shown in Figures `1 and 2.

Figures 7 and 8 are elevational and plan views,

in more or less diagrammatical form, showing details of the mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 9 is 'an elevational view of a tape magazine with a. portion broken away to illustrate a gathered tape disposed therein with the clips held in regular spaced alignment.

Figure 10 is a view of a magazine and a gathered tape disposed therein taken on line lll- I0 of Figure 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and including portions illustrating the manner in which the same is mounted on the gathering machine.

Figure 11 is an end view of the magazine shown in Figure 9.

Figures 12 and 13 are sectional views taken on lines I 2-12 and I3-I3, respectively, of Figure 9 and looking in the direction of 'the-arrows.

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the magazine similar to that-shown in Figure 12, except that the tooth members for holding the clips of the tape are shown in open position.

Figure 15 illustrates a plan view of a machine for gripping a plurality of Venetian blind slats and holding the same in position to receive from a loaded tape magazine a plurality of clips and otherwise illustrates a manner of nally assembling the tapes and slats.

Figure 16 is an enlarged view taken on line lli-I6 of'Figure 15, showing the magazines in open position and showing the gathered tapes secured to a bundle of slats by means of the clips cooperating with perforations in the edge face of the slats.

Figures 17 and 18 show elevational and end views respectively of the machine shown in Figure 15.

. Figure 19 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the front portion of the machine shown in Figure 15 -with the magazines and slats in a position just prior to the opening of the magazines, as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 20 is a fragmentary view of a plurality I of slats bundled together as they are in the machine shown in Figure 17 and showing the regular arrangement and spacing of the clip holes or perforations in the edge face thereof.

Figure 21 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of assembling to a head bar comprising a tilting slat, by means including raising and lowering cords, a bundle of intermediate slats having supporting tapes secured thereto and a lowermost slat.

Figure 22 is a bottom view of the lowermost slat shown in Figure 21.

shown in Figure 21.

It will be understood that a Venetian blind, such as referred to herein, comprises what is generally described as a head bar mounted in any` suitable manner at the top of a window. A series of slats, terminating in a lowermost slat, is suspended from the head bar by any suitable form of flexible members, such as tapes, usually secured to an uppermost tiltable slat from which all of the other slats are supported. All of the slats and the head bar are perforated to permit the passage therethrough of raising and lowering cords secured to the lowermost slat and disposed by guide pulleys located in the head bar in an accessible position at one side of the blind. Inasmuch as my present invention relates particularly to the assembly of Venetian blind slats and their supporting tapes and methods for facilitating the same, it is believed unnecessary to illustrate the complete blind, particularly in view of the following description.

A tape 20, comprising a plurality of spaced tubular loops or casings 2| secured in any suitable manner at one side thereof, is shown in Figures 3 to '1. In the example shown, the loops 2l are woven integral with the tape. It will be understood that the distance between the loops 2| is equal is to the desired distance between the slats of an assembled blind when the same are open or lowered, so to speak. The drawings also illustrate what I shall describe as a spring clip 22 or slat engaging element by which the tape 2l is secured or fastened at spaced intervals to the edge faces, respectively, of the plurality of slats of the blind.

The clips 22, see detail in Figure 8 are preferably made of a piece of spring wire having a cross bar 23 with the ends thereof bent to form arms 24 and 25 having hooks 26and 21 formed thereon by bending a portion of the arms inwardly until ends 28 and 23 of the hooks are spaced a short distance from the cross bar 23. It will be understood that when the clip is bent as described the parts 23 to 23 are all disposed in the same plane and form what may be described as a staple-like structure having a head 23 and two points 26 and 21, mounted on the tape 28;

and in the example here shown by means of the 3|, which have a cross bar or head portion longer than the cross bar 23 above described. While other structures embodying my invention may be constructed, the preferred tape and clip structure. per se, forms the subject matter of my patents numbered 2,130,319 and 2,130,320, issued September 13, 1938.

After the clip is formed it is adapted to be pressably inserted into perforations formed in the edge faces of the slats and be secured therein by theengagement of ends 28 and 29 with the edges of the perforations.A The proportions of these clips and the size and position of the perforations are such that after the clips are disposed in the perforations theymay be flexed suiliciently to unhook and remove one end thereof, whereupon the clip then may be manipulated so that the other end can also be removed.

Pleatng or gathering mechanismv Referring now to Figures l to '1 I shall describe Figure 23 is an end view of thebundle of slats referred to as a tape pleating or gathering mechanism or gathering table, which inthe example illustrated is approximately eight feet long. This mechanism comprises a pair of parallel side rails 35 and 35, secured together at spaced intervals by means of end plates 31 and intermediate plates 38. The table is mounted in any suitable manner upon a supporting structure; shown by way of example as leg means 39 and 40. Between the rails 35 and 36 is disposed a vertically movable bottom plate 4I extending the full length of the table: which when disposed in its lowermost position is adapted. to rest on the plates 31 and 36. The bottom 4| is freely movable on vertical guide pins 42 and 43, see Figures 4 and 6, fixed in the end plates 31 and adapted to prevent the longitudinal displacement of the plate 4I.

A cam mechanism operated by a long handle or bar 44 is provided .for elevating the bottom 4l for a purpose to be hereinafter described. This cam mechanism comprises a pair of eccentric rollers 45 and 46 each of which have journals 41 and 4l mounted in bearings 49 and 50 secured to the rails 35 and 36. Arms 5I and 52, each having one end secured respectively to the journals 41 and the other end secured respectively to the handle 44 complete the cam mechanism for raising and lowering the bottom plate 4I. It will be understood that the eccentric portions of the cams 45 and 46, when rotated, are adapted to move freely between the rails 35 and 36 and lift the bottom 4I along the guide pins 42 and 43 above the plates.31 and 38 and support the same in anelevated position above said plates at a distance approximately equal to the throw of the cam. Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the bottom 4I and cam mechanism in its lowermost position with the handle 44 disposed toward the right-hand end of the machine and with the arms 5I and 52 resting on stop pins 53 and 54. Figure 2 illustrates, in dotted lines, the position occupied by the handle 44 and arms 5i and 52 when the cams are elevated and the bottom plate 4I is disposed in the position shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 6 it will be seen that free standing rails 55 and 56 are secured respectively along each side of the bottom 4l. Along the center of the bottom and between the rails 55 and 56 is secured a member 51 of channel or U-shaped cross section with the sides 58l and 59 thereof projecting upwardly. For reasons to be hereinafter described, the sides 58 and 53 terminate in a plane slightly below that defined by the upper edges of the rails 55 and 56. Angle strips 60 and 6I, secured respectively to the rail 55 and side 58, serve to form a restricted longitudinal opening 62 leading to a space 63 formed between the rail 55 and the channel side 58. Similar angle strips 64 and 65 form a restricted longitudinal. opening 66 leading to a space 61 formed between rail 56 and channel side 53. It will be noted that the upper surfaces of the legs of the angle strips forming the openings 62 and 66 are disposed in the same plane as the upper edges of the channel sides 53-53. y

A drag 13 having a head 1| on one end and a handle 12 on the other is slidably mounted in a block 13 secured in the channel member 51 at the extreme left-hand end thereof. The head 1l is preferably made of a form adapted slidably to nt within the channel member 51. A guard 14 is secured to the end of the table to prevent what, for the want of a better name, may be the drag from accidentally being bent out of alignment. The purpose of this drag will be described presently.

Mounted on the bottom 4| is what I shall describe as a slidably extendable and contractible pleating or gathering conveyor comprising a pair of fabric tapes 80 and 8|, see Figures 6, 7 and 8, each of which is approximately as long as the gathering table, and disposed respectively in spaces 63 and 61. One end of each tape 80 and 8| is securely clamped at the left-hand end of the table beneath the projecting sides of the angle strips 60-6I, and 64-65, respectively, in any suitable manner such as by means of plates 82 and 83, and screws 84, see Figure 4. The other ends of the tapes 80 and 8| are secured by means of a cap plate 85 and clamping plates 86 and 81, see Figures 7 and 8, to a movable block 88, adapted to slide throughout the length of the table in the trough of the channel member 51. The cap plate 85 is secured to the block 88 by means of screws 90, one of which is shown in Figure 8. The right-hand end of the tape 80 is secured to one side of the cap plate 85 by means of screws 9| and the plate 86 and the corresponding end of the tape 8| is secured to the opposite side of the plate 85 by means of screws 92 and the plate 81. The tapes 80 and 8| are substantially the same as tapes 20 above described in that they each comprise a plurality of spaced tubular loops or casings 93, see Figures and 8. It will be understood that when one end of each of the tapes 80 and 8| is secured, respectively, to the left-hand ends of the angle strips 60-6I and 64-65 and the other'ends of said tapes are secured, respectively, to the movable blocks 88, the loops 93 will be disposed within the restricted longitudinal openings 62-66, see

lFigures 5 and 6, with the loops 93 on tape 80 directly opposite the correspondingly numbered loops on the tape 8|.

A plurality of rods 94, each having ends 95 and 96 bent in opposite directions in the plane of the rod, are disposed in the loops 93 and .l serve as supports to hold the tapes 80 and 8| throughout the length of the table in engagement with the under side of the angle strips I0|| and 6.4-65, respectively. A dotted line 91 in Figure 7 illustrates the top surface of the angle strips on which the rods 94 are adapted to slide as they support the tapes 80 and 8|. In Figure 8 the angle strips 60-6I and 64-65 are shown in dotted lines.

A flag having a weighted lower edge 99 and a folding point |00 disposed on the upper edge thereof, is rigidly mounted on each rod 94 and adapted to hang vertically from the rod in the channel 51. A handle |0| having pins |02 adapted to t in holes |03V in the block 88 is provided for extending and contracting the pleating or gathering conveyor in a manner to be hereinafter described.

From the above it will be understood that when the block 88 is pulled to the right-hand end of the machine by means of the handle |0| the tapes 80 and 8| throughout the length of the table and slidably supported in that position at spaced intervals by means of the rods 94 as shown at the lefthand ends of Figures 7 and 8. This may be referred to as the extended position of the conveyor. The movable block 88 may also be pushed toward the left-hand end of the table whereupon the tapes 80 and 8| will be pleated or folded in the form of a succession of loops and disposed respectively in the spaces 63-81 with the top will be stretched tautof each loop supported under the angle vstrips by means of the loops 93 and rods 94, see Figure 7. The reasons for bending the ends of the rods as described is to reduce the tendency for them to roll as they slide back and forth on the angle strips and also to make the flags 98 and points v |00 stand uprightly in the trough when the conveyor is slidably extended or contracted therein. Finally, by bending the rods, as above described, they are adapted to 'nest closelyv together side by side as shown at the right hand end of Figures 7 and 8.

The space above the bottom 4| is closed exceptl for a centrally disposed slot |05 of irregular cross-section, see Figures 1 and 4, extending from one end of the' table to the other and in which, as will hereinafter be described. the tape 20 is adapted to fit slidably with the clips 22 hanging vertically downward with the'cross bars 23 or head portion thereof disposed in the loops 2| and positioned centrally of the tape. While this vslat could be made otherwise, it" is here shown as being formed by a plurality of spaced guide strips comprising plates each having one edge thereof secured respectively to the top edge of the side rails and 36, and a pair of strips.

- The apposed edges of all of these pieces project inwardly to form the slot |05. The upper plates |06 and |01 are comparatively heavy and because of th'eir function of guiding the edges of the tape 20, may be described as tape edge guide plates. The plates |08 and |09, because of their function of centralizing the clips 22 in the loops 2|, may be referred to as clip guides. Strips ||0 and are secured respectively to the plates |06 and |01 by means of screws ||2, see Figures j 1 and 2, and form a'support for the tape 20 when it is pulled into the slot |05. It will be noted that `the distance between the apposed edges of strips ||0 and is approximately equal to the length of the loops 2| and that the thickness of said plates is such as to permit the tape 20 to be disposed in the slot |05 whileresting on the edges of the strips ||0| with the edges of said strips disposed above the cross bars 23 of the clips 22, see Figures 5 and 6. At the left-hand end of the table the slot |05 opens into a rectangular magazineopening ||6 formed by the strips just described. It will be noted that for the length of the opening 6 there are no cross bars 94 and flags 98.

Hinged at the extreme right-hand end of the table is a guide member ||1 for facilitating the disposition of the tape 20 in the slot |05, that is, after one end of the tape 20 is laid flat on the strips ||0 and with the edges adjacent the plates |06 and |01, and with the rst clip started under said strips, the guide member ||1 may be dropped down as shown in Figure 6, over the right-hand end of the slot |05 to warp or cause a slight camber in the tape, as it is drawn into the slot |05. The guide member ||1 com-` prises, for this purpose, a plate |8 secured thereto and adapted to lie upon the tape 20 and hold it fiat against the strips ||0 and lA` block ||9 is disposed centrally of the plate v| I8 for the purpose of depressing the central portion of the tape 20 as the same is drawn into the slot |05. A post |20 secured at the right-hand end oi' the table to the plate 31, see Figure 6, stands with the upper end thereof disposed centrally of the slot |05 and serves as a further guide for the clips as the tape is drawn into the slot |05.

From the above it will be understood that, when the tapes and 8| of the conveyor are extended the length of the table by moving the block 88 to the right and the handle |0| is removed,` a Venetian blind tape 20| may be drawn or threaded longitudinally into the slot |05. as shown in Figure 3, with the clips hanging downwardly above the flags of the conveyor. Now, when the handle 44 is moved to the left, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bottom 4| carrying the conveyor and flags 98 is elevated bodily to dispose each of the points in the slot |05 and cause said points, respectively, to make a sligh't crease, or initial bend |2| in the tape |20 between each pair of clips 22. Thereafter, the handle |0| with its pins |02 extending through the slot |05 may be placed in the block 88 and the conveyor slidably contracted to the left-hand end of the machine causing the tape 20 to be progressively folded or gathered, in a zig-zag manner as shown in Figure 1, with all of th'e clips disposed in alignment at one side thereof and in close spaced relationship with one another.

When the handle 44 is moved to the right. the amount of the elevation of the bottom 4| is limited by the upper edges of the rails 55 and 58 coming to rest against the plates |08 and |09. It will now be understood that the reason for making th'e sides 58 and 59 of the channel member 51 lower than the rails 55 and 56 is to provide a clearance space below the plates |08,|09

in which the rods 94 may slide freely back and forth when the bottom is elevated for the reasons above described.

Tape magazine Referring now more particularly to Figures 9v to 14, I shall describe what I regard as apreferred structure and operation of a tape magazine for gripping or. holding all of the slat engaging elements of a blind tape after the same has been pleated by the mechanism above described. This tape magazine comprises a body portion made of a plurality of parts |25 and. |26 of any suitable material although it may, if desired, be constructed of a single properly shaped block. The upper partL |25 of the body portion is of T-shaped cross section adaptedr to flt slidably and snugly into similarly Ashaped slots, to be hereinafter described, the part |26 being secured thereto by screws not shown. Rigid sides |21 and |28 having inwardly turned flanges |29 and |30 are secured to and project downwardly from the sides of part |26 to form a rectangular tubular cavity |3| having a slot |32 at the bottom thereof, see Figure 14. Hingeably secured to each side of the magazine body is a side piece |33 having an inwardly turned flange |34 provided with a plurality of equally spaced notches or comb-like teeth' |35, formed in the edge thereof, see Figure 10. In the device here shown the center distances between these notches is ap-v proximately .098 inch, but it will be understood that this distance bears a relation to the thickness of the blind slats to be hereinafter described and may be varied when it is desired to use, in the construction of blinds,` slats of different thicknesses. l

Hinges |36y for securing the side pieces |33 to the body of the magazine comprise any suitable spring means |31 tending to bias the sides |33 into open position, as shown in Figure 14. Arms |38 secured respectively to the sides |21 and |28 and havinghooks |39, see Figures 11 and l2, are adapted to pass through openings |40 in the sides |33 and serve as stops to limit'the opening movement of the toothed sides |33. A slide catch |4| forming an opening |42 and having an upper and lower outwardly turned flange |43 and |44 is secured by any suitable lost-motion connection, see Figure9, to each side piece |33. The upper edge of the opening |42 in catch |4| ls adapted to cooperate with notches |45 formed in the arms |38 to lock the side pieces in closed position with the flanges |34 in' apposition and disposed immediately below the flanges |29 and |30 forming the slot |32, see Figures 1l, 12 and 13. |4| to cooperate with the flanges |43 and urge the slide downwardly so that when the sides |32 are in closed or locked position the upper edge of i Y the opening |42 of the slide catches |4| are disposed in the notches |45 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained, The flanges |44 are disposed below the lower surfaces of the flanges |34, also for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Spring pressed plungers |41, adapted to yieldably engage the sides |21 and |28, are mounted in the sides |33 in any suitable Way to increase the pressure necessary to close and latch the sides 33 in the position shown in Figure 13. The plungers |41 also serve as a yieldable stop for positioning the sides |33 in closed position and thereby facilitate the latchng engagement of the opening |42 and notch |45 above described.

In Figures 9 and 10 it will be seen that each end of the sides |21 and |28 extends beyond the flanges |29 and |30, I'hese ends are adapted to fit in notches |48 formed in the plates |06 and |01 at each end of the opening ||6 of the table, see Figures 1, 3 and 10, to locate the magazine on the table with the slot |32 in alignment with the table slot |05 and with the flanges |29|30 in direct alignment with the ends of the strips ||0 and In order to load a maga-zine as shown in Figures 9 to l2, an open empty magazine like that shown in Figure 14 is first disposed in the notches |48, see Figures 3 and 10, and the drag 1|-12 is moved to the right across the opening ||6. A tape 20, after the same has been progressively gathered as above described and illustrated in Figures 7 and`8, is then pushed as a unit into the cavity |3| of the magazine. The tape 20, between the clips 22, will be looped upwardly like that shown at the right-hand ends of Figures 7 and 9 with all the clips disposed in the magazine slot |32, and held erect in spaced relationship with respect to one'another by the flags 98, see Figure 7. The thickness of the clips and flags is such that the center distance between the clips of the gathered tape will be .098 inch or, in other words, equal to the pitch of the teeth |35 on the flanges |34 above described. The purpose of the drag 1|- 12 is to offer resistance to the unit of gathered tape as the same is pressed into the magazine. The resistance thus offered by the drag 1|12 and the force necessarily applied to the block 88 in collapsing the tape 20 and to push the same into the magazine is sufficient to confine the clips 22 and tape 20 so closely together that the magazine sides |33 may thereafter be closed and latched and confine the adjacent clips in pairs of oppositely disposed notches |35, see Figures 9 to 13. After the magazine is thus loaded, so tospeak, with a gathered tape 20. it may be lifted out ofthe notches |48 for use in a subsequent operation of assembling the tape 20 to the slats of the blind, to be hereinafter described.

It will be understood that thereafter the con-` veyor, comprising tapes and al mw ha mwa A spring |48 is mounted above each slide` to the left of the table and the handle removed from the block 88, whereupon the bottom 4| is lowered by moving the handle 44 to the left and a new tape 20 threaded into the slot |05 and the operation of gathering the same and loading it into another magazine may be repeated as above described. It will be understood that I contemplate using a plurality of magazines like those above described as a matter of convenience in commercially assembling my Venetian blinds.

My invention is particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited, to facilitating the attachment or assembly of the tapes 20 on the edge face of a blind slat. One form of slat, here v shown by way of example, is preferably made of thin sheet metal strips, see Figure 16, stiffened by having the edges thereof bent over with respect to the plane of the strip. The formation of the stiffening edges at each side of the slat also gives to the same, from the standpoint of overall cross-sectional thickness, the appearance of stability similar to that of wooden slats in common use. A plurality of said slats |49 bundled together face to face are shown in Figures 20, 21 and 23. The blanks from which each of these slats are made were formed with suitably proportioned and properly located perforations which in the formation of the slat were disposed in the edge face thereof as shown at |50 in Figures 1'1 and 20 to receive the clips 22, as illustrated in Figure 16. Moreover, when the edge faces of the strips are bent and the slats are nally formed, as illustrated and described the clip perforations |50 are disposed therein about axes parallel to what may be described as the upper and lower major surfaces of the finished slat. In other words, these perforations are disposed in the edge face of the slat and lie wholly between its upper and lower major surfaces. An important reason for forming the slat in this manner is to be able, with the clip means above described, to fasten the tapes to the slats so that when the nished blind is elevated the slats will nest together face to face making the bundling height of the slats no greater than the summation of the thicknesses of the several slats of the blind. Heretofore the tapes of certain forms of Venetian blinds have been fastened to the slats by means passing through the upper and lower major surfaces of the slat with. the result that when the blind is elevated either the fastening means or portions of the tapes themselves are interposed between adjacent slats which necessarily prevented them from contacting 0r nesting together face to face, as I prefer to construct my blind.

An important feature in the method of assembling my blind is the fact that the raising and lifting cords and particularly the tapes, as I shall more particularly describe hereinafter, may be assembled while all of the slats of the blind are nested together in a-bundle face to face, as shown in Figures 21 and 22.

Tape-slut assembling mechanism stationary bar |58, secured to and depending 75 from the under-surface of the table. by means of a movable bar |59 through which said `stationary bar |58 passes. The bar |59 is rendered vertically adiustable along the Ibar |58 by means of a screw |60 rotatably mounted in a bearing |6| xed to the bar |58; said screw |60 passing through an internally threaded hole in said bar |59. As seen in Figures 17 and 18 a hand wheel mechanism |62 comprising bevel means |63 is mounted at the side `of the machine in any suitable way for raising and lowering the support |56 to any desired position.

A stationary jaw |64 is mounted on the front of the table at one side of the opening |55 and directly opposite a movable jaw |65. Both of these jaws are disposed within the openingl |55 and extend for a distance above and below the table as shown in Figures 17 and 18. The movable jaw |65. is carried by a sliding member |66 mounted in any suitable guide or mounting means |61 for a horizontally slidable movement. A stop |68 on the table |53 is provided to limit the opening sliding movement of the member |66 and jaw |65.' While any suitable mechanism may be provided for propelling the jaw toward and away from the jaw |64,I prefer to use, and here illustrate. a pneumatic device |69 mounted on the table |53, which device has a piston element |10 connected to the bar |66. The pneumatic device |69 comprises any suitable control valve means |1|. The valve means, `here shown. is operated by a manual |12 slidably mounted on a support |13 and having a handle |14 disposed at the front ofthe machine in an accessible position. Stops |15 and |16 on the manual |12 limit the movement thereof between an off or open and an on or closed position. A rigid guard |11 is secured to the stationary jaw |64 and a movable guard |18 is hinged at |19 to the movable Jaw |65.

The amount of the closing movement of the jaw |65 is variably limited by means including a graduated bar |80 slidably mounted in any suitable way on the top of the member |61 and 45 coni'lned in that position by a splined cover plate 8|. The graduations on the bar |80 are numbered consecutively from 3| to 5| indicating progressive unit changes in the `width of the bar between these indicated limits. A pin |02 passing through the plate |8| is adapted to cooperate with any one of a plurality of holes |93 drilled in the bar |80 and corresponding respectively to each graduation. As shown in Figures 15 and 19. the bar |80 is set at graduation num- 55 ber 42 .with the pin |82 disposed inkthe corresponding hole |83, not shown. An adjustable stop |84, adapted to cooperate with vthe bar at the various graduation points is provided on the sliding member |66, and comprises a screw threaded through a boss |86 on the upper edge of the sliding member |66 and a lock nut |81.

A magazine carrier is movably mounted in any suitable way on the table |52 at each side of the jaws |64 and |65. In the form of device here shown each of the carriers |90 comprises a,T-shaped structure having a head |9| and a stem |92, of dove-tailed cross section, slidably mounted in a suitable bearing |93 secured to the.

top of the table. A manually operable bar |94,

pivered intermediate its ends to the stem' |92 by means of a pin |95 and having one end thereof xed to the bearing |93 by any suitably rotatable lost-motion connecting -means |96 is provided for manually moving the carrier |90 at the may be described as a home position. It will be,V

understood that in al1 essential respects the rtwo carriers shown are the same and for that reason the corresponding parts thereof are similarly numbered.

From the above it will be understood that when the vise-like jaws |94 and |65 are opened, as shown in Figure 17, a plurality of Venetian blind slats |49 stacked together face to face in the form of a bundle 299 may be placed in the machine with their lower ends resting on the support |56 between the guides |51, against the stationary jaw |64 and the rigid guard |11 secured thereto. Thereafter `the hinged guard |19 is closed, as shown in Figure 15, against the slats to hold the sainel against the guard |11. Figure 19 illustrates the position of the movable -jaw |55 after the pneumatic device has been operated and the same moved forwardto grip and compress the slats |49 a predetermined amount; the amount of said compression being varied as desired by means of the adjustable stop |94. When the machine is set at the numeral 42, as here shown, it indicates that 42 Venetian blind slats will be required, having in mind the throw of the movable jaw |65 to properly clamp and compress the same -between the jaws |54 and |65. If it is desired, for instance, to kcompress 48 slats the pin |92 may be withdrawn from the bar |99 and the latter moved to a position in which the graduation 49 is disposed opposite the stop |94, whereupon the pin |92 is replaced to hold the bar in said position. When the slats are gripped between the jaws |64 and |65 the perforations |59 in the edge face thereof, as shown in Figures 17 and 20, will be in exact alignment. The slats will also be compressed suniciently to make the center distances between adjacent perforations |59 approximately .098 of an inch and therefore correspond to the spacing of the clips 22 in the loaded tape magazine above described.

The slats shown in Figure 17 are adapted for use in the manufacture of Venetian blinds comprising three supporting tapes on each side thereof and thereforecomprise three groups of perforations |49. The slat support |55 is here shown adjusted to the position it will occupy when the center tapes are being assembled to these slats and the middle group of perforations are directly aligned with the clips of the loaded tapey magazines so that all of the clips of the tapes may be simultaneously pressed into the perforations |49 by moving the bundles |94 toward the center of the machine.

When it is desired to assemble the tapes on the slats of a Venetian blind having only two supporting tapes on each side, and also assemble the tapes on the ends of the slats shown in Figure 17, the adjustable slat support |56 may be moved upwardly to the desired position so that, after the tapes are assembled on one end, the bundle of slats may be reversed in the machine or turned end for end in order to assemble the tapes on the other end without changing the adjustment of the support |56.

It was pointed out above that the flanges |44 on the side catches |4| of the tape magazines were disposed below or extended beyond, the

lower surface of the'ilanges |94. It will now be' understood that this construction permits said flanges on a loaded magazine to abut the edges of a bundle of slats above andl below the perforations |59 after the clips 22 have been inserted therein and toward the latter part of the throw of the bars |94v and thereby release the upper edge of the opening |42 in the catch from the notches |45 and permit the magazine to open under ythe influence of the spring |31 and plungers |45 and leave the clips secured to the edge face of the slats. lFigure 16 illustrates the relative positions of the slats, clips, tapes, magazines and carriers after this releasing operation. Moreover, it shows how the magazine may be removed from the machine by being drawn forward out of the slots |99 and leave the tapes secured to the slats by means of clips. The car- Y riers |99 may then be moved away from the slats and made ready to be reloaded. After the m98- azine is thus removed the operator further creases the tapes at |2| by pinching the loops together. These creases previously made during the gathering operation are thereby set in the tapes with such permanence that they will thereafter fold on said creases when the blind is in use and in the normal operation of the blinds prevent the tapes from inadvertently bending inwardly between the slats when the blind is elevated.

- During an inspection operation prior to assembling the tapes on the slats as above described, the proper number 'of slats are gathered and tied together in regular bundles in any suitable way. Figure 21 illustrates a bundle 299tied together by a paper band 29| winch .surrounds the same. The ends of the band are pasted together so that it may remain on the bundle while the tapes are being fastened thereto and the blind is otherwise being nally assembled.

The nal steps in my method of manufacturing Venetian blinds may be described best by reference to Figure 21 showing a head bar 292 comprising any suitable mechanism for tiltably mounting thereon an uppermost slat 293 and rendering the same operable by means of cords 294 and 295. These parts may be referred to collectively as a head bar unit. The bundle of slats 299, comprising the tapes assembled thereto, may be referred to as an intermediate slat unit. A lowermost slat 295. see Figure 22, having a cord anchoring fixture 291, at each side of cord holes 299 formed therein, may be described as the lower slat unit. It will be seen that perforations |59 are formed in the edge faces of slats 293 and 295 similar to those in slats |49, except that they are properly positioned and proportioned to receive the elongated clips 99 and 3| secured to the ends of tapes 29 as above de- It will be understood that all of the slats |49 and slat 299 are provided with cord holes, not shown, corresponding in size and position to the holes 299 in the lower slat 296. The assembling operations of my blind comprise, in addition to the various steps above described, that of threading through the left-hand end of the head bar 292 and slat 293, bundle of slats 299, and slat 296, a raising and lowering cord 299 and anchoring the end thereof in any suitable way in the left-hand fixture 291 While the units are lying on an assembling table, not shown. Similarly, a cord 2 |9 is threaded through these units at the right-hand ends thereof and anchored to the bottom of slat 299 in the righthand fixture 291. The cords 299 and 2|9 are then disposed about any suitable guide pulleys or other means to permit the same to hang from the right-hand end of the head bar, as shown in Figure 21. Thereafter, the various units are drawn together and the clips 30 and 3l on each side of the tapes 20 are pressed by hand into the perforations |50 on each side of the slats 203 and 206, In the interest of clarity, Figure 21 illustrates these three blind units as being spaced a little further apart during the assembling operation described than is actually necessary and thereby emphasize some of the novel features of my invention.

to the edges of a plurality of slats.

It will be seen from the above that I have ded a method of assembling a Venetian blind iryifiarg'a head bar structure adapted to support a plurality of slats about a plurahty of raising and lowering cords comprising the steps o f stack? ing together a plurality of intermediate slats with the edge faces thereof exposed at each side of the stack; tying said bundle together with a band or other suitable means; and when occasion requires compressing said bundle a predetermined amount and during said compression connecting a plurality of slat supporting tapes at spaced intervals throughout the length of said tapes to the edge faces, respectively, of the slats, while said slats are retained in bundled or stacked formation; and operatively connecting the Ahead bar structure to one side of the stack of intermediate slats, and similarly connecting a lowermost slat to the other side of said stack by threading the raising and lowering cords through the stacked slats, and thereafter securing to said head bar structure and lowermost slat respectively, one end of each of said supporting tapes. It will also be understood that other types of slat engaging elements held in regular spaced relationship with respect to similarly spaced slats may be employed with any suitable mechanism for simultaneously connecting said elements to the edges of the slats.

I have found that my. method of assembling Venetian blinds, as above described, is a marked 'improvement over that in present day practice because all but the-upper and lower slats are disposed in a bundle which makes it a very simple operation to thread the raising and lowering cord therethrough and indeed requiresv very much less space in which to perform this assembling opera- 'tion. In the past, as far as I am aware, Venetian blinds particularly those employing what is known as ladder tapes, were assembled by disposing the slats one at a time on the ladders of a pair of depending tapes and thereafter separately threading the raising and lowering cords through each hole in each slat. lI'his is a costly operation which I am able to avoid by the use of my invention.y Moreover, so far as I am aware, my invention teaches, among other things, a novel manner of either simultaneously or separately aiilxing to a plurality of slats a tape like that described, and a device whereby such tapes may be simultaneously affixed to each side of a bundle of slats.

While I have described what now seems to be the preferred form of my invention, and a preferred manner of practicing the same, various modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art and no speciic limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of assembling Venetian blinds comprising the steps of connecting slat engaging '2. The method of assembling Venetian blinds comprising the steps of connecting slat engaging elements to a piece of fabric tape at spaced intervals throughout the length of said tape, thereafter pleating the portions of said tape lying between adjacent elements, stacking together a plurality of slats having perforations formed in the edge faces thereof'so that said perfortions are exposed at the side of said stack, and thereafter fastening the said slat engaging elements to the edge faces, respectively, of said slats by pressing the same into said perforations.

3. The method of assembling Venetian blinds comprising the steps of connecting slat engaging elements to a piece of fabric tape at spaced intervals throughout the length of said tape, thereafter pleating the portions of said tape lying between adjacent elements, disposing a plurality of slats in juxtaposition with the edges thereof exposed, and fastening the said elements to the edge faces, respectively of said juxtaposed slats.

4. The method of assembling the slats and a tape of a Venetian blind in which the tape is providedwith slat engaging elements secured thereto at equally spaced intervals, comprising the steps of stacking a plurality of slats with the edges thereof exposed at each side of the stack, and, while retained in such stacked formation, effecting a simultaneous engagement of elements on the tape with the respective edges of said slats.

5. The method of assembling the slats and a tape of a Venetian blind in which the tape is provided with slat engaging elements secured thereto at equally spaced intervals and each of said slats having on' the edge thereof cooperating means for receiving one of said elements, comprising the steps of stacking a plurality of slats with the edges thereof exposed at each side of the stack, and, while retained in such stacked formation, effecting a simultaneous engagement of said elements on the tape with the cooperating means on the edges of said slats.

6. The method of assembling the slats and a tape of a Venetian blind in which the tape is provided with slat engaging elements secured thereto at spaced intervals and each of said slats having cooperating means for receiving one of said elements when moved with respect thereto, comprising the steps of stacking a plurality of slats with the cooperating means thereof exposed at least upon one side of the stack, bringing the slat engaging elements into the same spaced relation as the cooperating means upon the slats. holding the slat engaging elements in spaced relation, and simultaneously eifecting engagement of substantially all of said elements on the tape with the cooperating means on said stacked slats.

7. The method of assembling the slats and a tape of a Venetian blind in which-the tape is provided with slat engaging elements secured thereto at spaced intervals and each of said slats having cooperating means for receiving one of said elements when moved with respect thereto, comprising the steps of stacking a plurality of slats with the cooperating means thereof exposed atleast upon o ne side of the stack, pleating the portions of the tape lying between adjacent elementsl to bring the slat engaging elements into the same spaced relation as the cooperating means upon the slats, holding the slat -engaging elements in spaced relation, and. while retaining the slats in such stacked formation, effecting a simultaneous engagement of saidelements on the tape with the cooperating means on said slats. i i

8. 'I'he method of assembling the Islats and a pair of tapes oi' a Venetian blind in which each tape is provided with siat engaging elements secured thereto at spaced intervals and each of said slats having cooperating means for receiv- 

